Sony during CES revealed its USB 3.0 MicroVault flash drives and new flagship SD cards with the ultra-high speed interface (UHS-I). The MicroVault drives are split into the USM-Q, USM-P and USM-M ranges, with the Q the flagship. It gets USB 3.0 compatibility for up to 120MBps read speeds and 90MBps write speeds.
It, along with the USM-P, uses an LED indicator light and a retractable design. The USM-P doesn’t support USB 3.0, however. The USM-M has a different design and will be available in multiple colors. It doesn’t retract.
The MicroVault thumb drives ship in March in capacities up to 64GB, with prices starting at $16 for the USM-M, $30 for the USM-P and $45 for the USM-Q.
The UHS-I SD cards can read up 94MBps and write at as much as 45MBps, with the exception of the 8GB SF-8UX, which writes at 22MBps. The other capacities include 16GB and 32GB. Their high speeds are aimed at DSLR camera and HD camcorder owners. Even when plugged into non-UHS-I compliant hardware, the cards can still reach Class 10 speeds.
The cards are water-resistant and can operate in a wide range of temperatures. The cards will start shipping in March, starting at $45.
